The present invention relates generally to a reading table and more particularly to a reading table which cooperates with a bed to provide a bedside reading table.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many individuals, especially youths, like to read and study in bed. Parents may spend a lot of money purchasing desks. However, desks often remain unused. Further, in a prone position, individuals often have difficulty in reading or writing. Mattresses rarely provide a sufficiently hard surface to allow writing. To this end, there have been several attempts to provide devices for reading and writing in bed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,589 issued to A. Vega on Feb. 2, 1982, discloses a tray having legs which, in the reverse position, can be slid under the bed. Unfortunately, this is a very bulky and overly large tray.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,648 issued to D. Bard on Sep. 23, 1975, discloses a needlepoint device that works in connection with a chair but is not intended to work in connection with a bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,709 issued to S. Weir on Jul. 15, 1975, discloses a reading table having legs which slide under a bed or other work piece. It is large and cumbersome and has many moving parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,328 issued to S. Weir on Oct. 17, 1972, discloses a reading table which resides under the user. This device requires the weight of the user to hold the device in place which can be very uncomfortable. Additionally, it has many moveable parts which are unnecessary in certain applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,255 issued to D. Hill on Aug. 14, 1984, discloses an inverse reading table which is intended to be used by the infirmed which places a book overhead. This device can not be used for writing as the tray is transposed between the user and the book.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,710 issued to D. Newman on Jul. 18, 1989, discloses a complex computer support device which resides on top of a bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,434 issued to P. Navarrette on Aug. 13, 1991, discloses a bedside tray which is in a horizontal position as opposed to a needed angled position. The substantially horizontal position of the tray does not allow the individual to use it in any reclined position other than for a tray to put something such as a food or drink on.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,766 issued to R. Arima on Nov. 10, 1992, discloses a portable work station which is overly complex and necessarily cumbersome. Further, as opposed to placing the books and writing material to the side of the bed, it brings them over the bed.
What is needed, then, is a bedside reading table. This needed table must be portable. This needed table must be low cost and capable of one-piece plastic construction. This needed table must not be mechanically complex and must be simple. The needed table must have an angle which allows easy placement of books and writing tablets and the like but makes it difficult for holding drinks and food which one would not want to spill on one's bed. This needed table must be comfortable to use and easy to store under the bed. This needed table must require no assembly, no maintenance, and no repair. This needed table must remove the requirement of the space needed for a desk. This device is presently lacking in the prior art.